10 Footballers Who Suffered Mental Health Issues

As individuals, footballers too are not  immune to the scars of past traumas,  

and Dele Alli's recent revelation has sent  shockwaves through the entire football world.

He disclosed that he experienced sexual abuse when  he was six years old and engaged in drug selling  

at the age of eight. As a grown-up, he battled  addiction to sleeping pills and turned to drinking  

as a means to avoid his troubled childhood,  until he was adopted by the Hickford family.

After learning about Alli's sad story,  the football community came forward to  

show love and support. But Alli isn't  the only one who faced difficulties  

during childhood. There are many  more terrifying stories out there.

You see, behind Bukayo Saka's  happy face and impressive moves,  

there is a troubling story. He experienced  severe online abuse after the Euro 2020  

final loss, revealing that he was  deeply hurt by missing a penalty.

Additionally, his teammates Marcus  Rashford and Jadon Sancho were also  

targeted with racist comments on  social media platforms following  

their missed spot kicks in the  match against Italy at Wembley.

Saka revealed that he could  not sleep for 2 days because  

of online hate and it was one of  the toughest weeks of his life.

In a similar vein, Wayne Rooney revealed that  he turned to alcohol as a way to deal with  

the immense pressure that came with his rapid  ascent to professional football at a young age.

As a teenager, he confessed to engaging  in two-day-long bouts of heavy drinking,  

seeking to escape the overwhelming attention that  followed his achievement of becoming England's  

all-time leading goal scorer. Perhaps,  he was just doing it to numb his pain.

Just like Rooney, Jesse Lingard’s trauma was  also about using alcohol to numb his pain.

In a dramatic revelation, Lingard disclosed  that his lowest moment occurred after a 3-0  

victory against Derby in 2020.  As he boarded the team bus,  

Manchester United fans unleashed a barrage of  abusive chants towards him. This distressing  

incident forced him to reach out for support  from his former manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

In an attempt to alleviate the pain,  

Lingard admitted to occasionally turning to  alcohol before bed, hoping to find some peace.

It is truly shocking to learn about the  immense challenges that footballers face,  

another player with United roots who faced a harsh  trauma was none other than Crisitiano Ronaldo.

Last year, Ronaldo suffered something which  no parent must suffer. His baby son died and  

as per Cr7 it was the biggest trauma in  his life since the death of his father.

Due to the heartbreaking loss of his child,  

Ronaldo missed the preseason. This  tragedy deeply affected him to the  

point where he considered leaving United  and everything seemed out of balance.

Some saw it a sign of misfortune for Ronaldo,  

especially since it happened  toward the twilight of his career.

The event had a significant toll on  his mental well being, leading him to  

other problems with United. As a result, he  left Europe and relocated to Saudi Arabia.

Elsewhere, Suarez experienced something  which is difficult to comprehend.

He spent his early years in Salto, Uruguay,  

where he played football barefoot on the  streets. Coming from a poor background,  

his father worked as a porter, struggling  to provide for their family of seven.

During his childhood, Suarez endured  a significant injury when a car ran  

over his foot, fracturing the  fifth metatarsal bone. However,  

despite the injury, he persisted  in playing the sport he loved.

At the age of nine, Suarez experienced the  emotional impact of his parents' separation,  

which deeply affected him and his siblings.  Despite his evident talent in football,  

he went through a turbulent period emotionally.

To contribute to the household expenses, Suarez  began working part-time at the age of 15,  

sweeping the streets of his city.  With his father no longer present  

to support the family, Suarez took on  his responsibility at a very young age.

While Suarez managed to overcome the challenges  and trauma he faced, there was another player  

who tragically succumbed to the immense  pressures and experienced an untimely death.

Former Manchester City academy player Jeremy  Wisten took his own life two years after  

being released from the club. An inquest  revealed that he struggled with feelings  

of rejection and found it challenging to witness  his peers succeeding while he faced difficulties.

The teenager's chances of being retained  by the club were potentially hindered by  

a serious knee injury he suffered in  2018, causing him significant pain.

In another news, A-League footballer  Josh Cavallo publicly revealed his  

sexual orientation, stating that he  is tired of living a double life.

In his announcement, he expressed that he had been  struggling with his sexuality for over six years,  

and he’s relieved that he can finally  address it openly. He acknowledged  

that those who know him personally  are aware of his private nature.

Throughout his upbringing, he felt compelled to  conceal his true self due to a sense of shame. He  

believed that he would never be able to pursue  his passion for football while also being gay.

Consequently, he learned to hide  his emotions in order to conform  

to the expectations of a professional footballer.

Lastly, Bojan Krkic opened up about  the overwhelming anxiety attacks that  

he believes have hindered his ability to  reach his full potential as a footballer.

Initially making a significant impact  at Barcelona as a young teenager,  

he was inevitably compared to Lionel Messi. Bojan  even broke Messi's record as the youngest-ever  

debutant at the Catalan club and went on to  accumulate over 100 appearances at the time.

Despite these achievements, Bojan  struggled to secure a consistent  

position in the Blaugrana first team. So,  the issue of remaining under the shadow of  

Messi really impacted his mental health and  he has not been able to come out of this.

In conclusion, it is crucial for us  as fans to remember that footballers  

are not just athletes on the field, but  human beings with their own struggles and  

vulnerabilities. Bojan Krkic's story, along  with the experiences shared by other players,  

highlights the importance of  empathy and understanding.

Let us be less quick to judge and  more compassionate towards these  

individuals who entertain us on  the pitch, recognizing that they  

too face personal battles and deserve  our support both on and off the field.

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